


Beautiful Mess

by CatrinaSL



Series: Three Things [46]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Basement, College, F/M, Marvel U AU, Meet-Cute, Three Things, Trumpet, chair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-02 12:39:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13318284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatrinaSL/pseuds/CatrinaSL
Summary: Bucky hears a crash and saves a girl. Even though there's a huge mess to clean up, it was worth it.





	Beautiful Mess

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Artemis_Day](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Day/gifts).



> Artemis_Day prompted basement, trumpet, chair.
> 
> Marvel U AU: Your basic college au. For more details about living arrangements, etc, read [A New Chapter Begins](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12462063).

Bucky paused at the sound of a crash. "Hello?" he called down the basement hallway.

After a moment, he heard a faint, "Um, help?"

"Where are you?" he asked, heading in the direction he'd heard the noise.

"North side? I'm kind of—" came the reply.

Bucky opened a few doors on that side of the hallway before he found the source of the commotion. 

It was a girl. 

She was precariously balanced on one foot on a rickety folding chair, which was itself tipped onto two legs. The crash must have originated with the music stand on the floor, which had likely been accidentally kicked when she went for the high window; her grip on the window well was the only reason she hadn't bit the dust. The rest of the room was in varying states of knocked over, except for the trumpet resting upright on its bell on the floor next to the chair.

"So are you going to help or just stare at me?" she huffed.

"Sorry," Bucky said, stepping around an overturned storage box so that he could reach for her. "What are you doing down here, anyway? I didn't know this was a place students were allowed to come."

She let out a long sigh as he steadied her with one hand on her hip and the other on the back of the chair. "I was just looking for a place to practice—" She paused to let out a squeak as Bucky tipped the chair back onto four legs. He hid a smile as she grabbed onto his shoulders for balance. "I didn't want to disturb my suitemates, and apparently you have to  _ sign up _ to use a practice room in the music building, or at least that's what a few kids from the drumline said."

"So you sneaked into the basement, and what? Found out it's the worst place ever?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah, I was just... trying to let some air in... uh, if you let go of me, I can get down now."

"Oh, sorry." Bucky stepped back, careful not to further disrupt the mess.

"It's okay..." She was blushing as she climbed off of the chair. "Thanks for your help."

"No problem," Bucky told her. "Just, uh, maybe find somewhere else to practice? Even outside would be better than in here."

"I guess that's true."

"Plus if you stay, you'll have to explain yourself to the person who has to clean up the mess."

She glanced at him apprehensively, and Bucky just blinked at her, watching as she put two and two together. She was cute, he realized, even when she was wincing.

"Sorry! I'll help put things back where they go."

He waved a hand, discouraging her from picking up a box she'd been reaching for. "No, it's... a liability thing. If you help you could get hurt, and if you get hurt you could sue the school, and if you sue the school I'd get fired for letting you help, and if I get fired then I won't be able to pay my rent, and—"

"I'll go, I'll go!" she said, retrieving the music stand and folding it down to stow it in the trumpet case nearby. "I'm sorry, I really am; first you have to save me and then you have to clean up after me..."

If it had been anyone else, Bucky would have growled something about following the rules or staying out of the basement, but instead he picked up and handed her the trumpet.

"If you're looking for someplace more private, there's a clearing on the south side of the Architecture building where hardly anyone ever goes. Sometimes I have coffee there before work."

She snapped the trumpet case shut and stood. "Thanks, uh...?"

"Bucky," he supplied.

"I'm Jane," she told him, holding out her hand to shake. Bucky did, a bit amused at her demeanor. "I'm... really sorry again, about the mess."

He nodded. 

"Maybe I'll see you by the Architecture building sometime."

"Sure," Bucky returned. "See you."

He watched her leave, then turned to survey the huge mess she'd made of the storage room.

Worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> Jane's not in the university band, but she played trumpet in high school. Maybe she's practicing so she can join the pep band when she goes home for homecoming?
> 
> [Prompt a Three Things fic!](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7S2MbkK0CxVHMG3kF8CD6fYqD0zwY-J6MqLb21nmFyRpE4w/viewform)
> 
> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/169483680158/beautiful-mess)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


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